Vikings face QB crisis after Carson Wentz's historic MNF dud

Carson Wentz records historic low QBR against Buffalo

Carson Wentz recorded a 2.3 QBR during the Monday Night Football loss, the lowest for any quarterback this season. ESPN reported this mark is the lowest for a Vikings player since Tarvaris Jackson in 2006.

Yahoo Sports described the performance as a "dud" that reached "historic levels" of poor play. Wentz completed 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards. He threw two interceptions, and a third interception was dropped during the game. Yahoo Sports noted the player's performance worsened after he threw an interception.

Monday Night Football has been broadcast on ABC and ESPN, with ESPN+ serving as the streaming home for the games since 2021.

Coach Kevin O'Connell questioned on Wentz's future

Coach Kevin O'Connell faced questions regarding the possibility of trading Carson Wentz following the loss. Regarding the game plan, O'Connell said he "tried".

Troy Aikman and Joe Buck react to Wentz's performance

TalkSport reported that the duo were at a loss following the performance.

Kyler Murray injury led to Wentz's start

Kyler Murray missed the Week 9 Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills due to a hamstring injury. The team originally expected Murray to start before they turned to Carson Wentz.

The Vikings selected the former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback to lead the offense. Wentz currently is the backup quarterback for the team. During the previous season, Wentz threw five interceptions across five starts.

Betting analysts and defensive trends

Betting analysts identified Carson Wentz as a strong candidate to throw an interception before the game. The total points line dropped to 44.5 from the 47.5 lookahead price expected when Kyler Murray was slated to start.

The Minnesota defense leads the NFL in sacks, quarterback pressure, points allowed, expected points allowed, and opposing QBR while blitzing at a league-high rate of 73%. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has maintained a 16:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in six games against defenses coached by Brian Flores.

Injury reports and game logistics

The Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings took place at 8:15 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and aired on ESPN. Offensive linemen Dion Dawkins and Alec Anderson were questionable for the contest after missing practice, while right tackle Spencer Brown received clearance to play.

Buffalo wide receiver Joshua Palmer was out for the game, while Khalil Shakir returned to practice on Saturday and D.J. Moore received clearance following limited participation during the week.

Minnesota wide receiver Jordan Addison accounted for 52% of the team's air yards on eight targets in Week 8. The Bills allow an average of 1.35 receiving touchdowns per game to opposing wide receivers.

T.J. Hockenson carried a projection of 4.94 receptions and 48.8 receiving yards. Dalton Kincaid held a projection of 4.14 receptions.